EMS leader Ken Kelly made world a little better

CANANDAIGUA — It isn’t often that one person during his or her lifetime is able to touch the lives of hundreds of others — and in ways that heal and teach life lessons.

Ken Kelly was one of those people, say his many friends and family.

“He made lives better. He gave and gave — without wanting recognition. He was a teacher, a boss and a friend,” said John Years, one of those mourning the loss of Mr. Kelly, who died March 9 at the age of 62.

A paramedic and paramedic instructor, Mr. Kelly was longtime chief operating officer and general manager of Finger Lakes Ambulance. He was also a founder of the Emergency Medical Technician/Paramedics program at Finger Lakes Community College and the program’s instructor for nearly 10 years until 2008. He also helped develop a full-time Advanced Life Support program for Finger Lakes Ambulance, the first paramedic level ALS in a four-county area of the Finger Lakes.

After Army service as as a military police officer, Mr. Kelly returned to the Finger Lakes region and continued his service as an EMT, rising through the ranks and working with multiple agencies, including Canandaigua Ambulance, Victor Farmington Ambulance, Ontario County Advanced Life Support and then Finger Lakes Ambulance.

Paul Hood, a friend and former student, in a tribute to Mr. Kelly on the Heroes Memorial Foundation page, (http://heroesmemorial.org/) recounted that Mr. Kelly “quickly realized that there was a large need for a paramedic instructor in the region, so after taking the course in Syracuse he set out to bring the program to the area. His actions enabled a whole new class of people to undertake the training locally, and to be some of the best paramedics” in the state, Hood wrote.

“Ken enjoyed life,” Hood added, stating Mr. Kelly “believed that it was our responsibility to make the world a little better than we found it. As an instructor, his students went on to be Army medics in Iraq and other theaters of operations all throughout the world. His students have risen to leadership roles in EMS, and they continue to teach in the same manner that they were taught.”

Mr. Kelly took students under his wing and taught not only the necessary skills, but educated through example about morals and dealing with all kinds of life situations, said Years.

He said he met Mr. Kelly as a teenager while working for him years ago when Mr. Kelly was manager at West’s Shurfine Food Market in Honeoye. They quickly became friends, said Years, adding that bond grew to become like family and carried on to the next generation. He said Mr. Kelly became a beloved “uncle” to his son, Dylan.

Mr. Kelly enjoyed the outdoors, sports and camaraderie with a wide circle of friends and family, said Years.

“He always paid it forward and put everyone ahead of himself,” he said.

“He was a great inspiration, a great teacher and mentor and he took care of his family,” said Mr. Kelly’s brother, Ed Kelly. One of many examples is when after their father died, Ed said, Ken became the family father figure — filling a void with his leadership and compassion.

Mr. Kelly’s wife, Mary “Mickie” Kelly, said she and Ken met some 20 years ago as volunteers with Finger Lakes Ambulance.

“He wanted to make it his career and I wanted to make it mine, too,” she recalled.

They became good friends, a relationship that grew but remained simply a friendship for nearly 10 years until after one night, when Mr. Kelly invited her over for a family dinner. Mickie kept the love letter Ken wrote to her not long after, expressing his feelings for her. They were married Aug. 28, 2003. He was a loving husband, Mickie said, recalling that early on she knew Ken was special, and that there was no one else she would rather be with.

At Finger Lakes Ambulance, Mr. Kelly’s successor, Director of Operations Bill Comella, said Ken left “some huge shoes” to fill. Comella, who had worked under Mr. Kelly since 2003, said he admired his leadership skills.

“Ken understood people and how to make them feel like they were part of a team,” Comella said. “He was able to bring out the best in each of the people who worked with him. Ken would push you to give more than 100 percent. Ken embodied the idea of staying focused and never giving up, right through the end of his life.

“He has taught me life lessons that will stay with me forever,” said Comella.